This invention relates to a watercraft such as a personal watercraft and more particularly to an improved oil drain system therefore.
Personal watercrafts are a popular type of watercraft in which one or more passengers ride on rather than in the watercraft. Personal watercrafts are powered by jet propulsion devices coupled to engines. The engines are typically of the 2-stroke or 4-stroke variety. The 2-stroke variety is fueled by an oil/gasoline mix and the four-stroke by gasoline.
Watercrafts powered by 4-stroke engines provide many advantages. As compared to 2-stroke engine powered watercrafts, 4-stroke watercrafts consume less fuel, emit less noise and pollution, and are more powerful. However, a disadvantage is the inconvenient process by which oil is removed for routine oil changes.
Four-stroke engines are typically provided with oil reservoirs positioned under the cylinder block. Because the engine is positioned so that the drive shaft extends horizontally, the oil reservoir is positioned under the engine. In a typical 4-stroke watercraft the oil drain access is provided on the top of the oil reservoir. Generally, an access panel is provided at the top of the hull for maintenance. Such a configuration requires the use of a siphon or powered pump to remove the oil from the reservoir and makes routine oil changes cumbersome and inconvenient.
Several attempts to facilitate oil draining from watercrafts have been made. These attempts, however, generally require the use of inconvenient specialized tools, rearrangement of the engine within the hull, or require the service person to manipulate valves located in the interior of the watercraft. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,867 discloses a drain system for a marine vessel wherein a multiple conduit structure connecting the oil reservoir to ah access in the transom provides for oil draining. A valve, positioned in the interior of the vessel, provides for controlling the flow of oil through the conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,777 discloses a marine engine oil drainage device wherein a conduit connects the oil pan of the marine engine to a drainage port in the stem of a marine vessel. A valve is attached to the conduit in the interior of the vessel. The valve is actuated by either the use of a specialized tool or other means requiring the service person to place his or her hands into the interior of the hull of the marine vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,779 discloses an oil system drain for personal watercraft wherein the oil reservoir is positioned within the interior of the watercraft such that an oil plug can be accessed from an opening in the bottom of the hull of the watercraft.
It is desirable therefore, to provide an oil drain system for a typical watercraft that allows for convenient routine maintenance.
The present invention provides an improved oil drain system for vehicles with an oil reservoir located within the interior of a vehicle compartment. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an oil drain system comprising an oil reservoir coupled to a flow regulator, located within the interior of a vehicle. The exterior of the vehicle includes an access opening with a cover removably located over the access opening on the exterior of the vehicle. A tether couples the flow regulator of the oil reservoir to the interior of the cover, wherein when the cover is removed from the access opening, the flow regulator can be pulled through the access opening by the tether so that oil can be drained to the exterior of the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a jet-propelled personal watercraft comprising; a hull including a bottom hull and a top deck secured over the bottom hull, the hull defining an engine compartment sized to contain an internal combustion engine for powering a jet propulsion unit, the jet propulsion unit including a steerable water discharge nozzle, the top having a raised, longitudinally extending seat adapted to accommodate an operator in straddle fashion. Jet-propelled personal watercraft includes a lubricating system to lubricate the engine. The lubricating system includes an oil reservoir with a drain formed therein. The oil reservoir is coupled to a flow regulator. Jet-propelled personal watercraft further includes an access opening and a cover having an interior and exterior removably located over the access opening. The flow regulator of the oil reservoir is coupled to the interior of the access opening cover by means of a tether.
The aforedescribed configuration allows for convenient routine oil changes. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of draining oil from a vehicle containing the oil drain system described above. To drain the oil, the service person removes a cover from an access opening located on an exterior of the vehicle and pulls the cover away from the access opening. Because the cover has a tether coupling the it to a flow regulator that has an open and closed position and the flow regulator is coupled to an oil reservoir located in an interior of the vehicle, as the cover is removed the tether pulls the flow regulator through the access opening making it accessible from the exterior of the vehicle. With the flow regulator at the exterior of the vehicle, the service person can open the flow regulator and drain the oil. When the draining is complete, the service person closes the flow regulator and returns it to the interior of the vehicle and finally, replaces the cover over the access opening.
In accordance with another aspect the present invention provides an oil drain system comprising an oil reservoir with an oil drain formed therein with draining means attached at its proximal end to the oil drain. Connecting means is attached at its proximal end to the distal end of the draining means and at its distal end to an access opening cover means.